KCU members,

The Kāpiti Coast District Council (KCDC) elections are taking place next month.

As many of you know, our club and wider football community have been advocating for a full-sized artificial turf on the Coast to address the significant loss of training and game time each season due to weather and ground closures.


Why an artificial turf matters:

Impact on our Junior/Youth Players

In 2025, three full weekends of junior games were cancelled, representing nearly 19% of the season. Training was heavily affected, with around 44% of total training contact time lost across our junior teams.

Looking back over recent years, the picture is just as concerning. When you scale historic cancellation data across all age groups (U8–U17), the cumulative impact is significant.

A player progressing through 10 years of junior and youth football will typically miss up to 140 training sessions, equating to around 190 hours of lost development time compared with their peers in Wellington, Porirua, and the Hutt Valley, areas that have multiple artificial surfaces available.

These numbers highlight how essential a year-round artificial turf is for player development, safety, and ensuring our young athletes have the same opportunities as others across the region.

Impact on our Senior teams

Senior squads around the Coast have also felt the effects of limited, weather-dependent facilities. Across the 2025 winter season, three full weekends of senior matches were postponed, forcing reduced and/or fixture congestion. Training opportunities were equally hard-hit, with many teams losing a significant share of their scheduled sessions. This disruption affects player fitness, game preparedness, and the overall quality of football on the Coast.


Candidate positions:

Several candidates standing for election have indicated support for a Kāpiti Coast artificial turf. This information is provided to help you make an informed choice when you vote.

You can read about all candidates and voting details on the official KCDC elections website:
https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/council/about-council/local-elections/local-elections-2025/candidates/


Greater Wellington Regional Council

Sam Ferguson


Mayoral

Dean Harris
Janet Holborow
Liz Koh
Martin Halliday


District-wide Council

Joanne Welch
Lawrence Kirby
Marek Willis


Kāpiti Coast Māori Ward
Brian Ruawai-Hamilton


Ōtaki Ward
Brent Frogley


Waikanae Ward

Dean Harris
Martin Frauenstein
Nigel Wilson


Paraparaumu Ward

Chris Harwood
Glen Cooper


Paraparaumu Community Board

David Ogden
Kat Hardisty
Marco Zeeman


Raumati/Paekākāriki Ward

Bede Laracy
Zelda Edwards


Raumati Community Board

Tarn Sheerin
Timothy Sutton


Paekākāriki Community Board

Himiona Grace


We encourage every member to review the full candidate profiles and policies before casting your vote.


Kind Regards,

Kapiti Coast United Committee